History

Whatcom County lies in the furthest northwest corner of both the State of Washington and the continental United States. It is bounded on the north by the Canadian border, on the east by Okanogan County, on the South by Skagit County, and on the west by the Strait of Georgia and Bellingham Bay. These borders enclose large parts of the Mount Baker National Forest and the North Cascades National Park, which comprise about two-thirds of Whatcom County’s total area. All but a few residents live in the western third of the county. Bellingham, with an estimated population of 75,750, is Whatcom County’s largest city. Other cities include Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Lynden, Nooksack, and Sumas.

Fire District 4

Whatcom County Fire District 4 was formed under the authority of RCW 52 of the State of Washington in the early 1950’s. For many years, each of the three stations had it’s own chief. Today, the district is united under the direction of Chief Ron Anderson and responses are unified throughout the District.

The fire district is approximately 36 square miles serving a population of approximately 9,000. The department responds to over 3,000 calls per year. The fire district intersects the City of Bellingham on portions of the south and west. Fire Districts 1 and 21 form the boundary on the north side. Lake Whatcom forms the remainder of the south boundary, and lands protected by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources bounds the east side.

The fire district is agricultural in nature with an urban growth area on the south and west boundary. Almost 90% of the non-federal land in unincorporated Whatcom County is dedicated to forestry and agricultural uses. The next largest category of use is residential, with 5.4% of the land.